Class A/B track: Defending champ Custer still the favorite

Custer's Brennan Witt runs far ahead of his competitors during the boys 3200-meter run at the 2013 Class A SDHSAA State Track and Field Meet in Lennox on Friday, May 24, 2013.
(Jay Pickthorn/Argus Leader)(Photo: Jay Pickthorn, Jay Pickthorn - Argus Leader)

Custer ran away with the Class A state boys track and field title a year ago, nearly doubling up runner-up St. Thomas More in points.

The Wildcats appear to have the inside track again with a bevy of talent across the board. For starters, Custer returns senior Brennan Witt, the three-time 800-meter champion as well as the defending 1,600 champ. He also anchored the winning sprint medley relay team.

Senior Chase Glazier also ran on that team and anchored the first place 3,200 relay team along with finishing fourth in the 800. There's also senior Logan Burns, a runner-up in the 3,200 as well as 3,200 relay members Israel Parsons and Kenneth Myers and field events placewinners Logan Heuer (discus), Adam Baker (triple jump) and Clayton Wahlstrom (pole vault).

"The boys team is training hard this year as they would like to repeat as Black Hills Conference champions, and state champions, but they know it will take a lot of work and some luck," said Custer coach Craig Black.

Madison, fourth last season, also expects to be in the mix of top teams again behind state long jump champion Tayler Anderson. The senior cleared 22.5 last year and finished seventh in the 100.

Senior Tyler Currey bolstered the field events with a fifth-place finish in the discus, while Rush Milne is back after taking eighth in the 110 hurdles and sophomore Hunter Streff returns after a fourth-place 1,600 run in.

Meanwhile, Sioux Falls Christian is coming off a runner-up finish in the Big Sioux Conference and a sixth place run at state. The Chargers bring back junior Gavin DeHaai, who finished third in the pole vault, and senior Alexander Aloyseus, who placed eighth in the long jump to spark a group that lost some key sprinters.

Freshman Caleb DeWeerd won the 3,200 at the Dan Lennon, while senior Collin Fligge, Jake VanderKamp and Caden Skinner head up the middle distance runners.

"The Chargers boys have retooled the complexion of their team," sad SFC coach Bob Garry. "Graduation depleted the sprint and jump events, leaving this year's team built around middle distance and distance runners and an ever improving throw team and a solid pole vaulter."

Class B

Herreid/Selby stormed out to a lead last spring and held off defending Class B state track and field champion Viborg/Hurley for its first-ever title – and the Wolverines could be poised for another run.

Herreid/Selby returns defending high jump and triple jump champ Dakota Thorstenson for his senior year as well as state pole vault champ Cooper Schaefbauer and defending 110 hurdles champ Austin Iverson. Iverson also finished third in the 300 hurdles.

That might not be enough to deter Parker, though, as the Pheasants bring back a solid senior class despite graduating standout Duane Jongeling.

Michael Olson placed this in the 800 and ran on Parker's state champion 3,200 and sprint medley relay teams. Returning seniors Ryan Olson and Tristen Erickson also ran on winning relay teams, while Eric Hunstad took fifth in the 300 hurdles.

"Herreid/Selby won it all and has a bunch back, but we're going to be pretty salty," said Parker coach Phil Bjorneberg. "We have a good senior class and (sophomore) Zach Anderson went 6-4 and won earlier this year and went 6-2 at the Dome (for the Dan Lennon) and got second. With that senior class, we're hoping we can go top-4 again if things fall right."

Wessington Springs standout Jase Kraft is back for his senior campaign after winning the 1,600 and finishing runner-up in the 800 and 3,200. The senior is a favorite in the distance races again this season and could vault his team into the top five.

"They could score 30 and that could possibly be good enough for top four ," said Bjorneberg.

"That's what's always fun about Class B – you never know from year to year."